Okay, coffee lovers, if you had to choose one thing you hate about coffee, what would it be? We know you’re probably struggling to find an answer right now, but for us, it’s how easily it stains.
If you have a tendency to be a little clumsy, there’s a good chance you’ve spilled coffee at least once in your lifetime.
Getting it out of your clothes is hard enough, but if you’ve ever been unfortunate enough to drop a steaming hot cup on your carpet, well… need we say more?
Thankfully, you don’t need to go to any extreme lengths to remove those pesky stains. If you need to know how to lift that stubborn coffee stain from your carpet, stick with us to find out how.
Can Coffee Stain Permanently?
Although coffee stains are pretty dark, they’re unlikely to stain permanently. So yes, it’s possible to get rid of that dark, cloudy stain, no matter how stressful it may feel!
Removing Fresh Coffee Stains From Your Carpet
If you’ve just dropped coffee on your carpet, here are the steps you’ll need to follow to remove fresh stains from your floor.
Soak Up The Liquid: Your first step should be to soak up as much of the liquid as possible. Use a damp cloth or a paper towel to soak up any of the excess – this will make it easier to tackle any of the stain that’s soaked beneath the initial layers. For best results, start by moving the cloth around from the outside of the stain to the middle, and avoid rubbing the carpet – this will only push the coffee in even further.
Use a Solution: Once you’ve soaked up as much of the excess coffee as possible, start applying a cleaning solution to your floor. This will tackle any of the stain that’s seeped below the surface.
You don’t always need a professional stain remover to do this (unless you have one on hand!). If you want to create your own solution, you can use the following:
- Dish Soap
- White Vinegar
- Water
Simply mix one tablespoon of your dish soap with a tablespoon of white vinegar. Stir together, and mix them up with two cups of warm water. Once you’ve created your solution, use a clean cloth to put the solution on the stain, and as you did before, move your cloth from the outside of the stain to the middle.
Once you’ve covered the whole area with your solution, use a dry towel to blot it up. You may need to repeat this process a few times until the stain has been completely eliminated.
Rinse Again: Once you’ve used your cleaning solution on the stain, it’s time to go over the area again with a helping of cold water. Grab some cold water and rinse it over the stain, cleaning up any of the excess staining on your carpet. Remember to blot the stain rather than rub it to avoid staining your carpet even more. The stain should now be completely removed – leave your carpet to air dry for best results.
Removing Old Stains From Your Carpet
If you weren’t able to clean up your stain straight away, you may be feeling a little hopeless. If your coffee stain has been left to sit for a while, is there any chance of removing it from your carpet?
The good news is that it’s probably still possible to remove the stain from your carpet. However, it may depend on how long you’ve left it to sit.
First off, we’d recommend trying the process above on your old stain. However, you should first wet the stain with plenty of water to loosen up the coffee and make it easier to remove.
You’ll probably need something stronger if the process above doesn’t remove your old coffee stain.
In this case, we’d recommend using professional carpet cleaning sprays. Most solutions will need to be left to sink into your carpet overnight, so ensure you set aside enough time to do this.
If your professional cleaner isn’t working, you could also try applying baking soda to your stain. Baking soda is a great tool for lifting off stubborn stains, even ones as prominent as grease and red wine!
Once you’ve applied your carpet cleaner, sprinkle a generous helping of baking soda over your stain, and leave it to sit on your carpet until it’s air dried.
Once dry, clean up the remaining baking soda with your vacuum, and the stain should be gone!
Cleaning Products That Might Surprise You
If you need to remove your stain fast but you don’t have any special cleaning products to hand, here are a few household products that may do the job for you.
They may be unconventional, but if you need to remove your stain in a hurry, it can’t hurt to try!
- Toothpaste: Toothpaste can help break down stubborn stains, but you’ll need to ensure it’s completely white. Colored toothpaste may stain your carpet even more!
- Baby Powder: If you’re only dealing with a light stain on your carpet, baby powder might do the trick. Simply sprinkle a small amount of baby powder onto your carpet, leave it for a few minutes, and clean it off with cold water.
- Shaving Cream: This one might surprise you, but shaving cream actually shares many of the same ingredients as soap! This makes it a great alternative to clean up stubborn stains with. Simply rub your stain with a few pumps of shaving cream, rinse it off, and repeat if required.
The Bottom Line
If you’ve spilled coffee on your carpet, all hope is not lost. Even if your stain has been sitting in your carpet for a while, there are plenty of ways to remove those stubborn stains and restore your carpet to its former glory!
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